I am an Assistant Professor in the department of Information Sciences and Technology at the College of Engineering and Computing, George Mason University (GMU). My research labs - CAPS & Secure Realities Lab investigates areas including computer security, privacy, AI/ML, human-computer interaction, social computing, accessibility, and sustainability of emerging technologies. My projects aim to enhance privacy and security across various domains, including healthcare, education, financial technology, social media, gaming with a focus on everyday living and user experience.
I have received three best paper / poster awards (at CSCW, ICISSP, HFES, CEWiT, and IoTDI), the NSF ADVANCE Grant award, and research awards from Facebook and Google. More details can be found here.
Before coming to GMU, I spent four and a half wonderful years at the University of Denver as an Assistant Professor in the Computer Science Department (Tenure Track) at the Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science. During my time there, I received several awards, including the Provost's Award for Excellence in Academic Advising as Faculty Adviser of the Year (2024) and the Distinguished Faculty Award (2023).
I received my Ph.D. from Indiana University Bloomington under the supervision of Dr. L. Jean Camp. My dissertation focused on understanding users' risk mental models to help in secure decision-making for authentication technologies. I have also worked on projects related to social media privacy, privacy policies, the economics of security, IoT device security, electronic waste security, the security of AR/VR/MR devices, and others.
I have also completed Masters in Business Administration (University of Denver), Masters in Security Informatics (Indiana University Bloomington), Masters in Computer Applications (Jadavpur University), and Bachelors in Computer Applications (The Heritage Academy). Previously, I have worked as a Security and Software Engineer for American Express, Infosys Technologies, and HCL Technologies. I have also worked as a User Experience Consultant for secure technologies at Parity Technology and as a Global Privacy Adviser at XRSI.org.
My work has been published in several top-tier academic venues, including CHI, CSCW, USENIX Security, IEEE S&P, NDSS, FC, SOUPS, and other reputable venues.
I have also presented as an invited speaker at several global conferences, including BlackHat, RSA, BSides, Enigma, IMPACT, and others. These works have also received media coverage in CNET, The Register, VentureBeat, PC Magazine, Iron Geek, and other venues.
I love traveling, exploring new cuisines, and have a knack for photography, digital sketches, and art!
